Improving livelihoods of smallholder farmers

The initiative also forms part of processes to improve the livelihood of the HMB and set them up as an enterprise for income generation in the Hotspot Intervention Areas (HIAs). The project is targeted at smallholder farmers across the six (6) Sub-HIAs in the landscape, namely the Asuopri, Manzan, Asuobia, Debe-Sukusuku, Krokosui/Asempaneye, and Juaboso.

This was after Tropenbos Ghana in collaboration with other partners, under the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Program (GCFRP) in Juabeso-Bia Landscape, successfully established a Hotspot Intervention Area (HIA) governance structure in the area. The platform will support interventions aimed at emission reductions. So far, twenty-six (26) smallholder farmer beneficiaries have received training in three (3) additional livelihood enterprises, thus, beekeeping, piggery, and vegetable production.

Beneficiaries fixing and waxing a beehive during a practical training session

The beneficiaries also received inputs such as beehives with stands, Smokers, Wax, a pair of wellington boots, safety clothing, and hive tools among others. Additionally, a five (5) unit housing facility with pigs (2 sows and a boar), safety boots, drugs, and feed were presented to those interested in piggery, while beneficiaries under vegetable production received viable seeds, simple farm tools, a water pumping machine with its accessories, approved insecticide, fungicide, and fertilizers to support the setup and operationalization of the livelihood enterprises.